Liverpool begin their Premier League campaign in less than one week as they face Bournemouth at Anfield.

The Reds have had a tumultuous summer following their crowning as champions in May.

Excellent early business in the transfer window reinforced Liverpool‘s status as the place to be in the Premier League right now.

Few had predicted Florian Wirtz would snub interest from Man City and Bayern Munich to join the Reds, while Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong were adamant it was Liverpool or nowhere.

Joe Cole and Alan Shearer agree on next season's Premier League champions	Joe Cole picks Liverpool's new star as Premier League signing of the summer	Joe Cole names ‘signing of the summer’ after Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea spend £900m

Sadly, though, things took a devastating turn when Diogo Jota tragically passed away alongside his brother Andre in a car accident in July.

The effects of Jota’s sudden and tragic death and its impact on the Liverpool squad remain to be seen, but as his teammates prepare to pick themselves up and go again, predictions for whether they can retain their crown have been coming in.

Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images

Heading into last season, very, very few people would have had Liverpool down as anything like favourites to win the league.

Jurgen Klopp’s exit had left question marks over how the Reds would adapt, with Arne Slot not expected to challenge Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta at Manchester City and Arsenal.

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12 months on, and things could hardly look any more different.

In fact, speaking on TNT Sports, former Liverpool player Joe Cole has claimed that the Reds are as clear a favourite as the Premier League has seen in a decade.

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“Not only that [they are favourites], I think they are probably the most clear favourites to win the league we’ve seen in the last 10 years,” said Cole.

“The best have got better again and they’ve raised the bar.

They’ve missed their slot, Arsenal.”

It is not often that Liverpool have headed into a Premier League as favourites, let alone as overwhelming ones.

Nevertheless, that has clearly changed this summer.

As well as Cole, Man United legend Paul Scholes has backed the Reds to come out on top next May.

“I think Liverpool will win the league,” Scholes predicted while speaking to The Overlap.

Interestingly, the former England midfielder also backed Liverpool target Alexander Isak to win the Golden Boot.

“Isak, whoever he plays for!” said Scholes when asked who will be the league’s top goal scorer next season.


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